Collapsible funnel for dispensing liquids from puncturable containers

ABSTRACT

A collapsible funnel for dispensing liquids from puncturable containers comprising: a plurality of triangular sections each of which is joined to at least one other triangular section, a seam means, a handle means, and a blade means positioned so that said puncturable containers when positioned inside the collapsible funnel are punctured and the liquids dispensed.

' [75] Inventor:

United States Patent 1 Wehking COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDSFROM PUNCTURABLE CONTAINERS Frank J. Wehking, Houston, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Continental Oil Company, Ponca City, Okla.

[22] Filed: Aug. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 281,352

[52] US. Cl 141/98, 141/329, 141/332,

[.51] Int. Cl. B65b 39/00, B670 11/00 [58] Field of Search 206/46 L;210/233; 220/85 D, 85 SP; 222/81, 17, 19; 141/98,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,028,542 6/1912 Christian141/330 [451 Apr. 16, 1974 FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3,705 0/1907Great Britain 141/337 Primary ExaminerI-louston S. Bell, Jr. AssistantExaminer-Frederick R. Schmidt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-F. Lindsey Scott[5 7] ABSTRACT A collapsible funnel for dispensing liquids frompuncturable containers comprising: a plurality of triangular sectionseach of which is joined to at least one other triangular section, a seammeans, a handlemeans, and a blade means positioned so that saidpuncturable containers when positioned inside the collapsible funnel arepunctured and the liquids dispensed.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 16 I974 FIG.

COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS FROM PUNCTURABLE CONTAINERSFIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to collapsible funnels fordispensing liquids contained in puncturable containers.

PRIOR ART In recent years, much time and effort has been di rected tothe development of more economical and more convenient methods forpackaging liquids such as lubricating oils, automatic transmissionfluids, and the like. Considerable attention has been directed to thegeneral concept of packaging such materials in puncturable containerssuch as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,083,479 issued June 8, 1937to Speare. The use of such containers offers a convenient and economicalmethod for packaging such liquids.

One problem encountered in the use of such containers is that a funnelmeans for puncturing the containers and dispensing the contained liquidsis required. The use of a funnel such as shown in U.S. Pat. No.2,083,479 has the disadvantage that the funnel is rigid, is not adisposable piece of equipment, and accordingly is used with severalcontainers as the liquids are dispensed. As a result, the liquids arelikely to become contaminated when the funnel is used for more than onecontainer. The funnel also occupies substantial space and is not readilyadapted to packaging with the containers.

FIG. 2 shows the collapsible funnel of the present invention in acollapsed position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the collapsiblefunnel 10 of the present invention in an expanded position. The funnelcomprises triangular sections 1 1 each of which is connected to at leastone other triangular section by a continuous crease therebetween. Thetriangular sections 11 are not actually triangles but rather aretruncated triangles or trapezoids, i.e., the section sides forming thewide portion of the funnel and the narrow portion of the funnel may beparallel but it is not necessary that they be parallel. Hereinafter thesections will be referred to as triangular sections. In the embodimentshown in FIG. 1, there are four triangular sections each of which isjoined to two other triangular sections to form a square funnel. It isobvious that more triangular sections may be used, however, a preferredembodiment requires the use of four triangular sections joined as shown.Two of the triangular sections are joined by a seam means 12 so that acontinuous crease is formed therebetween. A

I handle means 13 is connected to seam means 12 for Various collapsiblepaper funnel constructions are known. One such collapsiblepaper funnelconstruction is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,100,888 issued Mar. 30, 1937 toVine. The collapsible paper funnels shown do not solve the problem ofdispensing the liquids from puncturable containers since no method forpuncturing the container inside the funnel is available and the funnelis not adapted to being readily positioned for dispensing the liquidssince no handle is provided. Accordingly, much time and effort has beendevoted to developing a collapsible funnel for use in dispensing liquidscontained in puncturable containers.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found thatthe objective of the present invention is achieved by the use of acollapsible funnel for dispensing'liquids from puncturable containerscontaining said liquids comprising: aplurality of triangular sections,each of which is joined to at least one other triangular section by acontinuous crease means therebetween, a seam means connected to at leastone triangular section, a handle means connected to said seam means, ablade means connected to said seam means and positioned to extend intothe interior of said collapsible funnel, so that said puncturablecontainers when placed inside said collapsible funnel are punctured andthe liquid dispensed-through said collapsible funnel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows the collapsible funnel of thepresent invention in an expanded position.

ease in handling and a blade means 14 for puncturing puncturablecontainers when such containers are placed inside collapsible funnel 10is positioned in seam 12 so that a portion of said blade means having apointed end 16 extends into the interior of the collapsible funnel. Thecollapsible funnel is tapered so that the funnel has a wide portion 18and a narrow portion 17.

sections adjacent the blade when the funnel is in the collapsedposition.

The funnel may be constructed of readily available materials such aspaper, wax coated paper, plastic impregnated paper, plastics, metalfoils, and the like.

- Most readily available materials for the construction of disposableitems of this nature are suitable, and no particular novelty is attachedto the material of construction.

Puncturable containers as used herein refers to con-' tainers ofplastic, paper, wax coated paper, plastic impregnated paper, metal foilsand the like of a thickness such that the containers are readilypunctured when urged against the pointed end of the blade means with amoderate pressure.

The blade means 14 may be constructed of any suitable metal materialsuch as heavy metal foils, thin sheets of metal, and the like.

The continuous crease may be formed by any known method such as bypre-forming a blank such that the triangular sections are joined bycontinuous creases therebetween or by other methods well known in theart.

The seam means may be formed by a variety of methods well known in theart such as by forming flaps on the two triangular sections to be joinedand thereafter joining the two flaps to form the seam. Theflaps-mayFIG.-2 shows the collapsible funnel in a collapsed pobe joined by anyconvenient means such as by the use of metal staples, adhesives, heatsealing and the like.

I The blade mean sis conveniently positioned in the seam means byplacing it in position between the two flaps prior to joining and thusembedding the blade means in the seam. Other methods well known in theart may be used as convenient in the fabrication process.

In the use of the collapsible funnel, it is anticipated that thecollapsible funnels could be packed withor near the puncturablecontainers containing the liquids to be dispensed. The funnels may thenbe used for dispensing the liquids in the puncturable containers anddiscarded after each use. It is readily seen that by grasping handle 13and applying a slight pressure to the opposite side of the collapsedfunnel the funnel is opened to the configuration shown in FIG. 1 and isready for use. The puncturable containers are positioned in the wideportion of the funnel and then urged upon the pointed end of the blademeans so that the puncturable container is torn open and the liquidsallowed to drain out through the narrow portion of the funnel.

""it'is' readily seen that the collapsible funnel of the presentinvention offers an economical and convenient method for dispensingliquids from puncturable containers in a convenient and efiective mannerby the use of readily available materials.

l. A collapsible funnel for dispensing liquids from puncturablecontainers containing said liquids comprising: a plurality of truncatedtriangular sections, each of which is joined to at least one othertruncated triangular section by a continuous crease means therebetween,a seam means connected to at least one truncated triangular section, ahandle means connected to said seam means, and a blade means connectedto said seam means and positioned to extend into the interior of saidcollapsible funnel, so that said puncturable containers when placedinside said collapsible funnel are punctured and the liquid dispensedthrough said collapsible funnel.

Z. The collapsible funnel of claim 1 wherein four,

truncated triangular sections are joined to form a collapsible funnelwhich has a square configuration when expanded.

3. The collapsible funnel of claim 1, wherein said seam means isconnected to two truncated triangular sections.

4. The collapsible funnel of claim 3 wherein said seam means isconnected to said triangular sections by continuous creasestherebetween.

5. The collapsible funnel of claim 4 wherein said seam means is formedby joining flaps attached to two adjacent truncated triangular sections.I GIThe collapsible funnel of claim 5 wherein a portion of said blademeans is positioned between said flaps with the remaining portion ofsaid blade means extending into the interior of said funnel. A,

7. The collapsible funnel of claim 6 wherein said portion of said blademeans extending into the interior of said funnel has a pointed endadapted to puncture said puncturable containers as said containers areurged toward the narrow portion of said funnel.

8. The collapsible funnel of claim 7 wherein said collapsible funnel iscollapsible to a flat position. t l

1. A collapsible funnel for dispensing liquids from puncturablecontainers containing said liquids comprising: a plurality of triangularsections, each of which is joined to at least one other triangularsection by a continuous crease means therebetween, a seam meansconnected to at least one triangular section, a handle means connectedto said seam means, and a blade means connected to said seam means andpositioned to extend into the interior of said collapsible funnel, sothat said puncturable containers when placed inside said collapsiblefunnel are punctured and the liquid dispensed through said collapsiblefunnel.
 2. The collapsible funnel of claim 1 wherein four triangularsections are joined to form a collapsible funnel which has a squareconfiguration when expanded.
 3. The collapsible funnel of claim 1,wherein said seam means is connected to two triangular sections.
 4. Thecollapsible funnel of claim 3 wherein said seam means is connected tosaid triangular sections by continuous creases therebetween.
 5. Thecollapsible funnel of claim 4 wherein said seam means is formed byjoining flaps attached to two adjacent triangular sections.
 6. Thecollapsible funnel of claim 5 wherein a portion of said blade means ispositioned between said flaps with the remaining portion of said blademeans extending into the interior of said funnel.
 7. The collapsiblefunnel of claim 6 wherein said portion of said blade means extendinginto the interior of said funnel has a pointed end adapted to puncturesaid puncturable containers as said containers are urged toward thenarrow portion of said funnel.
 8. The collapsible funnel of claim 7wherein said collapsible funnel is collapsible to a flat position.